5.4.2 Children's views of the 'good' nurse (97)

Mary Brady, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, Kingston University - St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom

Abstract:

Background:

This paper will present the results of a study that explored hospitalised children’s perceptions of a ‘good nurse’. Few studies have explored this area with children before; in most previous studies data have been obtained from parents (Shin & White-Trout, 2005).

Aims:

This study, set out to: Identify qualities that define the ‘good nurse’ from a child’s perspective Address the gap in the literature Inform clinical practice to facilitate care provision that meets children’s needs

Methodology:

A qualitative study using grounded theory as originally described by Glaser and Straus (Kendall, 1999) was conducted over a four-month period that provided data that was systematically collected and analyzed, without the use of statistical methods. In this study hospitalized children (n=22), aged 7-12 years old, were asked to describe pictorially and verbally the qualities of a good nurse. An adaptation of the ‘draw and write’ technique (Bradding & Horstmann, 1999) was used, together with a semi-structured interview to explore their drawings and provide more data. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Results:

Analysis using a process of constant comparison of the data and grouping together of emerging concepts, revealed seven themes that related to the personal characteristics and skills of the nurse. These were communication, knowledge, safety consciousness, trustworthiness, humour, and professional, personal and ethical qualities.

Discussion:

Some of these characteristics were consistent with parental opinions revealed in previous studies. This study also highlighted the importance of the nurse having an understanding of the needs of children and that the child’s level of insight into the nurse’s good qualities was related to his/her stage of moral development. Conclusions Good care for the child and his/her family; by competent nurses who engender in the child that he/she is valued is of importance to hospitalized child.

Biography:

I have many years experience working in high dependency and intensive care units for children and neonates as well as working on general children’s wards. My first sister’s post was on the neonatal and infant surgical ward at Birmingham Children’s hospital. Later, I was able to broaden that experience at St George’s hospital Neonatal unit (London) when neonatal surgery was introduced. My last sister’s post (Ward Manager) was at Queen Mary’s Hospital Carshalton (Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust). For the past three years I have been working as a senior lecturer at Kingston University.